Billboards feature artist’s B"H logo in support of Biden-Harris
Drivers on I-95 in South Florida may notice billboards with the logo B"H in support of the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris campaign.
The logo was designed by Judaic artist Jeanette Kuvin Oren, who wanted to communicate her support for the Biden-Harris ticket in her hometown of South Florida.
Kuvin Oren, who grew up in Palm Beach and now lives in New Haven, CT, usually designs wall hangings, mosaics, Torah covers, and ark curtains for synagogues, JCC, and international organizations. However, she wanted to try a new venture as a Judaic artist to support Biden’s presidential run. When the former vice president announced Harris as his running mate in August, Kuvin Oren thought of the Jewish expressions Baruch HaShem (Praise God) and B’ezrat HaShem (With God’s help), and noticed the acronym B"H is similar to that of the campaign’s. She then went to her computer to create the B"H 2020 design, and said that thousands of people have shared her designs since she posted it on Facebook.
A day after Rosh Hashanah, Kuvin Oren started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to rent three billboards along I-95 in Boca Raton, Hollywood and Miami. She had enough money to rent them a day after Yom Kippur, and they will be up through Nov. 3 (Election Day).
Kuvin Oren said she has two main motivations for the billboards.
“One is to speak to the positive, uplifting message that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris bring," she said. “I know that they both love Israel. I think the B’ezrat HaShem message is a powerful, uplifting message.”
As Kuvin Oren has met Jews in South Florida who support President Donald Trump for moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, she said her second motivation was to appeal to people who have told her “Trump is good for Israel.”
“I believe in my heart that Trump is bad for the world, and when America is alienated from the world, that is bad for Israel," she continued. “I want people that live in communities along I-95 to think that their vote really matters, and that Biden and Harris are better for everybody.”
Kuvin Oren said the reception to her design has been resoundingly positive.
"I get the occasional note that says ‘You must be a self-hating Jew,’ she said. “If they knew me, they would laugh at that. My whole life is committed to Israel, to the Jewish community and to working with synagogues. You won’t find anybody who is more proud of being Jewish and of Israel. I get very few negative comments, but I just see this as a really important time in history.”
Devorah Weiner of Boca Raton, a family friend of Kuvin Oren, praised the design.
“I think it’s exciting and I’m so happy that Jeannette got to use her talents in art and graphic design to create a positive Jewish message on the Biden campaign,” Weiner said.
The billboard in Boca Raton can be viewed on I-95 south of Palmetto Park Road (faces south, seen by northbound traffic), the one in Hollywood on I-95 south of Griffin Road (faces north, seen by southbound traffic). and in Miami on I-95 just past Hallandale Beach Boulevard (faces north; seen by southbound traffic).
Visit kuvinoren.com for more information on the artist.
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